Rotary joint of a robot and the robot including the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a wiring unit having a main portion of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board therein. Said rotary joint further comprises a protective unit fixed to said wiring unit, in which an end portion of said FPC board is connected to a group of cables. Also disclosed is a robot comprising said rotary joint. Compared with the existing prior arts, the proposed solutions prevent the damage of FPC during assembly and/or disassembly of robots, while not losing compactness.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A rotary joint, comprising a wiring unit having a main portion associated with each of a plurality of flexible printed circuit (FPC) boards therein, wherein said rotary joint further comprising a protective unit fixed to said wiring unit, in which an end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards is connected to a group of cables;
 wherein said protective unit comprises a plurality of plastic boards, which substantially parallel or horizontal to each other, thereby said end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards are apart from each other and capable of connecting to corresponding groups of cables, respectively. 
 
     
     
       2. The rotary joint according to  claim 1 , wherein said end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards is fixed to said protective unit. 
     
     
       3. The rotary joint according to  claim 2 , wherein said protective unit comprises a connecting member which is coupled to the plurality of plastic boards, said connecting member fixed to said wiring unit, said plurality of plastic boards being fixed to said end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards. 
     
     
       4. The rotary joint according to  claim 3 , wherein said connecting member has a box like shape without an upper surface, being capable of accommodating said plastic boards, and having an opening on a side surface for said cables to pass through. 
     
     
       5. The rotary joint according to  claim 3 , wherein the end portion of said plurality of plastic boards is an arc like shape. 
     
     
       6. The rotary joint according to  claim 3 , wherein said protective unit further comprises one or more screws and/or one or more snap hooks, thereby fixing said plurality of plastic boards to said connecting member. 
     
     
       7. The rotary joint according to  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of plastic boards are vertical or inclined to said wiring unit. 
     
     
       8. The rotary joint according to  claim 3 , wherein said cables are soldered to said end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards, a protection membrane and/or a reinforcement membrane being put on the area where said cables soldered, said protection membrane and/or reinforcement membrane being fixed to said plurality of plastic boards. 
     
     
       9. The rotary joint according to  claim 8 , wherein said protection membrane is a kind of glue. 
     
     
       10. The rotary joint according to  claim 3 , wherein a soft or hard reinforcing layer is on one or two sides of each of said plurality of FPC boards, said reinforcing layer being fixed to each of said plurality of plastic boards. 
     
     
       11. The rotary joint according to  claim 10 , wherein said reinforcing layer is partly or completely fixed on each of said plurality of FPC boards by adhesive or tape. 
     
     
       12. The rotary joint according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective unit further comprises one or more clamps, to fix said cables to said protective unit. 
     
     
       13. The rotary joint according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective unit further comprises one or more knots inside said protective unit, to prevent said cables from being pulled out. 
     
     
       14. The rotary joint according to  claim 1 , wherein said protective unit further comprises melt adhesive filled into said protective unit. 
     
     
       15. The rotary joint according to  claim 1 , wherein said wiring unit comprises a first rotation member and a second rotation member rotatable relative to each other, and a first portion of said main portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards is connected to said first rotation member and a second portion of said main portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards is connected to said second rotation member. 
     
     
       16. The rotary joint according to  claim 15 , wherein said first rotation member is provided with a hole, and said first portion of said main portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards is wound around the hole loosely enough to allow said first portion of said main portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards to move relative to said second portion of said main portion of said FPC board. 
     
     
       17. An robot comprising a rotary joint including a wiring unit having a main portion associated with each of a plurality of flexible printed circuit (FPC) boards therein, wherein said rotary joint further comprising a protective unit fixed to said wiring unit, in which an end portion of each of said FPC boards is connected to a group of cables, wherein said protective unit comprises a plurality of plastic boards, which substantially parallel or horizontal to each other, thereby a plurality of said end portion of each of said FPC boards are apart from each other and capable of connecting to corresponding groups of cables, respectively. 
     
     
       18. The robot according to  claim 17 , wherein said end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards is fixed to said protective unit. 
     
     
       19. The robot according to  claim 18 , wherein said protective unit comprises a connecting member which is coupled to the plurality of plastic boards, said connecting member fixed to said wiring unit, said plurality of plastic boards being fixed to said end portion of each of said plurality of FPC boards. 
     
     
       20. A rotary joint, comprising a wiring unit having a main portion of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board therein, wherein said rotary joint further comprising a protective unit fixed to said wiring unit, in which an end portion of said FPC board is connected to a group of cables,
 wherein said end portion of said FPC board is fixed to said protective unit; 
 wherein said protective unit comprises a connecting member and a plastic board coupling to each other, said connecting member fixed to said wiring unit, said plastic board being fixed to said end portion of said FPC board; and 
 wherein said protective unit further comprises one or more screws and/or one or more snap hooks, thereby fixing said plastic board to said connecting member.